27. Lily
Lily
The water runs hot and loud in the bathroom, masking the sound as I search for anything useful.
But he’s right, there’s nothing. Even the mirror is embedded in the wall.
My wrist throbs where the cuff held me. The mark’s already purpling, and seeing it brings a fresh wave of anger. But anger won’t get me out of here.
I press my ear to the door, holding my breath. I hear nothing.
Through the keyhole, I can see Damian sitting on the edge of his bed, a familiar mini laptop balanced on his knees.
The laptop. Of course.
I bet the evidence Raph mentioned is probably buried somewhere in there.
But how do I get access to the computer and find the evidence?
For a moment, my mind drifts. My throat tightens as I think of my Alphas.
God, I’d give anything to feel their arms around me right now. Even after everything that happened at the Haven, at least I know everything they did was out of love.
I shove the thought away. Daydreaming won’t save me.
I strip down and finally step under the hot spray, letting the water wash away the feeling of his touch.
With every drop, my mind clears.
A plan begins to take shape.
***
His arm lies heavy across my waist, like a chain.
I’ve been lying here for what feels like hours, counting each shallow breath, waiting for sleep to finally claim him. His sweaty skin clings against mine like a spider’s web, and every point of contact gives me the yuck.
His breath hits my neck in hot, wet puffs. The sour tang of the whiskey he drank earlier still lingers in the air around us. I want to scratch my skin raw where he touches me, but I force myself to remain still. Even the tiniest movement feels dangerous.
Another fifteen minutes crawl by, marked only by the steady rhythm of his breathing and the frantic beating of my heart. His grip finally loosens as he sinks deeper into sleep, his fingers uncurling one by one from my hip.
Now or never.
With movements so gradual they barely qualify as motion, I ease out from under his arm. The silk sheets whisper treacherously against my skin as I slide off the bed. My heart pounds, so loud I’m certain it will wake him.
He stirs. I freeze, not daring to even blink.
Nothing.
The laptop sits on his desk across the room, a slim beacon of hope in the darkness. I ghost across the floor, my steps so slow it feels like I’m walking through mud.
My hands shake violently as I lift the lid.
The screen blazes to life like a supernova, painting the room in harsh blue light.
Terror stops my heart mid-beat. It might as well be a police spotlight catching me in the act.
My fingers scramble desperately over the keys, searching for the brightness controls. Please, please, please…
The light dims to a soft glow as a rustle of sheets sends ice through my veins.
Damian shifts, mumbling something that sounds horrifyingly like my name. I freeze, my muscles locked so tight they burn.
One heartbeat. Two. Three.
His breathing deepens again into the steady rhythm of sleep, and I nearly collapse with relief.
Fuck, that was close.
My racing heart gradually begins to steady. And then I see it: there’s a fingerprint sensor.
The relief hits me so hard my knees nearly buckle, and I have to grip the desk to stay upright. A password would have been impossible to crack. But his fingerprint…
I cradle the laptop against my chest like something precious and fragile, turning back toward the bed. Damian sleeps sprawled on his back now, one arm flung wide across the empty space where I should be.
My stomach heaves as I creep closer. If he wakes now… I swallow, already feeling his hands around my throat.
Don’t think about it. Just do it.
I hover beside the bed, barely breathing, and carefully lift his hand. His skin feels fever-hot against mine, and I fight the urge to gag. Instead, I press his index finger to the laptop’s sensor, my own hands trembling so badly I nearly drop it.
The screen unlocks with a chime that crashes through the quiet room like breaking glass.
I almost drop the computer in shock.
His eyes are open!
My heart stops completely as his eyes begin closing again, his chest rising and falling in the same steady rhythm. He’s still fast asleep, trapped in whatever dreams keep that smile playing at the corners of his mouth. I don’t want to know what it’s about…
My legs are shaking so violently I can barely walk as I retreat to the bathroom. Only when the door clicks shut behind me do I let out the breath I’ve been holding, sliding down the wall until I hit the cold tile floor.
I did it. I actually did it.
But I’m not done yet. This is just the beginning. My hands steady as I open the laptop again, determination replacing fear.
I have work to do.
***
My hands tremble as I scroll through the documents. There’s so damn much.
“Lily.” Damian’s voice slices through the door. “Open up!”
My heart lurches so violently I taste copper in my mouth. “Just… using the toilet!” My fingers fly over the keys, attaching files with desperate speed.
“Open the door.” His voice has dropped to that deadly quiet tone.
“I’ll be right out—”
The door explodes inward with a crash that rattles my bones. The email whooshes away just as Damian fills the doorframe, his face twisting into something inhuman as he takes in the scene.
“You little bitch—”
He moves faster than I can react. His hand crushes my throat, slamming me against the wall hard enough to make my teeth rattle.
The laptop clatters to the floor as black spots swarm across my vision like angry wasps.
His fingers dig deeper, and the edges of the world start to blur.
My lungs scream for air, desperate little whimpers escaping my closing throat as darkness creeps in from the corners of my eyes.
Pure survival instinct takes over. I drive my knee up with every ounce of strength I have left, feeling something crunch. He doubles over with a howl that sounds more animal than human, and I collapse forward, gasping in precious oxygen that burns like fire down my throat.
“I already emailed everything,” I force the words out between ragged breaths, my voice a broken whisper.
“Your company’s internal reports, all of them.
My Alphas have instructions to forward everything to the IRS if I’m not at the Haven in three hours.
” My voice grows stronger as his face drains of color.
“With the drive time, you need to let me go. Now.”
He straightens, unhurried, and that familiar, dangerous smile spreads across his face.
“There are thousands, you can’t send that many files in one email. Hell, not even a hundred. And you really think you found something incriminating in just a few minutes of amateur snooping?”
He takes a step forward, and it takes everything in me not to shrink back.
“You don’t even know what to look for. And documents can be… questioned.”
“Oh, you mean like the transfers to your personal account in the Canary Islands?” I watch his smile crack at the edges.
“Account number 45879-002. Monthly transfers. Pretty consistent pattern there, Damian.”
He freezes. “How did you—”
“What was it you called my old job? My ‘pathetic little paralegal position’?” I tilt my head, letting the words settle, savoring the taste of victory. “Turns out all those hours of research weren’t such a waste after all.”
I hold his gaze, unblinking. “Anyway, I’m sure your account number alone will be enough to trigger an external audit. Unless…”
“Unless what?” He grinds out.
“You forget I exist. Give me my phone and enough cash to get back to the haven, and transfer three million dollars to an account of my choice. Right now!”
His jaw works like he’s chewing glass. “You’re insane—”
“Tick tock,” I taunt, holding his gaze with a smirk. “How long do you think it’ll take the IRS to freeze your assets once they catch wind of those transfers?
For a moment, the rage in his eyes burns so hot I’m certain he’s going to wrap his hands around my throat again and finish what he started. Then he barks out a laugh.
“Fine. You want to play? Let’s play.”
He stalks to his safe, clicks it open, and retrieves his phone. “Account number?”
I recite it carefully, watching as he shows me the confirmation of the instant transfer. Then, without a word, he reaches back into the safe, grabs a thick envelope of cash and my phone, tossing both at my feet like scraps to a dog.
“There. Happy now?” His lip curls into a sneer. “You know, you’re not even worth this much trouble. You’re just another Omega slut who—”
The crack of my palm against his cheek echoes off the walls like a gunshot.
“Shut the fuck up, Damian.”
I snatch up the envelope and my phone, backing toward the door. He just stands there, a red handprint blooming across his face.
“If anything happens to me, anything at all, those files go to the IRS. Remember, my Alphas have them.”
His silence follows me out the door.
It’s not until I’m in the elevator that my hands start to shake, violent tremors that make me drop the envelope twice before I can stuff it into my pocket. My throat throbs in time with my pulse, and when I touch it, I can feel the heat of what will become brutal bruises. But I’m alive. I’m free.
And I’m never letting anyone cage me again.
***
My hands won’t stop shaking as I slide into the cab’s backseat.
The adrenaline is finally crashing, leaving me hollow and jittery, like I’ve drunk too much coffee on an empty stomach. Two hours to the Haven. Just two more hours until I’m safe.
“Where to, miss?”
I give him the address, trying to keep my voice steady. Then I check my phone with trembling fingers.. 12% battery. Thank God – just enough.
Savannah picks up on the first ring.
“Savannah, it’s Lily. I need Raph.” The words come out rough, my throat still raw from Damian’s fingers.
A pause, then a sharp intake of breath. “Oh my god, Lily? Hold on, I’m putting you through.”
There’s a long fumbling sound. Then Raph’s voice explodes through the speaker, and warmth floods through me for the first time in what seems like days.
“Lily? Where are you? Are you okay? We’ve got the police looking everywhere, and—” His voice catches, thick with emotion.
“We just got documents from Damian’s company email, did you? —”
Despite everything, I almost laugh at the panic in his voice. It’s a far cry from the confident, devil-may-care Alpha I remember. “I’m fine,” I interrupt, “I’m in a cab, heading to the Haven.”
“Stay there. I’ll come get—”
“No need.” My voice comes out steadier now. “Everything’s been taken care of.”
“Taken care of? Lily, what—”
“We’ll talk when I get there.” The exhaustion hits me suddenly, making my voice thick. “About two hours.”
“But—”
“Trust me?”
A pause. When he speaks again, his voice is softer, wrapping around me like a blanket. “Always, princess. Just… get here safe.”
“I will.” I end the call before he can hear the tears that are finally starting to fall.
The city lights blur past my window as we merge onto the highway, smearing into streaks of gold and red that remind me of sunrise.
The envelope of cash feels heavy in my pocket. Proof. This is real.
I let out a shaky breath.
Did I actually fucking do it?